May 30, 2026
Forced Labour and Modern Slavery Statement
Sequel Naturals ULC (operating as Vega)
Financial Year 2025 (January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025)
This statement is made by Sequel Naturals ULC, operating as Vega ("Vega"), pursuant to Canada's Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, S.C. 2023, c. 9 (the "Act"). It describes the steps Vega has taken during the financial year ended December 31, 2025 to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labour and child labour in its business and supply chains.
Who We Are
Vega was founded by Charles Chang. Co-founder and formulator Brendan Brazier, a professional triathlete, developed the original Vega Whole Food Optimizer to address his own need for nutrient-dense plant-based nutrition that supported recovery between endurance training sessions. The product launched as a premium offering, with a seven-serving format priced at approximately CAD $42 at introduction.
Today, Vega operates as Sequel Naturals ULC, a British Columbia corporation, and develops a portfolio of plant-based nutrition products sold across North America. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with additional team members in Denver, Colorado and remote employees across Canada and the United States.
What We Do
Vega develops, markets, and sells plant-based nutritional supplements and wellness products under the Vega brand. Finished products are produced by third-party co-manufacturers located in the United States and Canada, using raw materials and components sourced from a combination of domestic and international suppliers.
Inputs to our products include:
• Raw materials such as pea protein powder, fruit and vegetable powders, and natural flavourings
• Functional ingredients such as probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and herbal plant extracts
• Packaging components such as lids, preformed bags, plastic tubs, scoops, labels, and cartons
Vega's finished goods are sold to consumers through its owned e-commerce channels, third-party e-commerce platforms (including Amazon), and retail partners in the natural, grocery, mass, and club channels across North America, including Costco, Loblaws, and Whole Foods.
Our Supply Chains
Vega's primary supply chain consists of third-party co-manufacturers located in the United States and Canada, the raw material and packaging suppliers that serve those co-manufacturers, and a smaller group of ingredient suppliers from which Vega procures directly.
Key raw materials sourced into our products include pea protein powder, pea starch, cocoa powder, pumpkin seed protein, brown rice protein, kale powder, spinach powder, and stevia leaf extract. These materials originate from a range of geographies, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Egypt, Hungary, Israel, West Africa, parts of Asia (including China and India), and parts of South America (including Argentina and Brazil).
Vega's broader supply chain also includes logistics service providers, freight forwarders, warehousing and pick-and-pack partners, advertising and creative agencies, technology providers, and financial, legal, and other professional advisors.
Policies
Vega maintains policies intended to support fair, lawful, and ethical working conditions for our employees and the partners with whom we do business. We expect suppliers and vendors to employ only legally authorized workers, to maintain working conditions consistent with applicable law, and to comply with applicable national, state, provincial, and local labour laws.
Vega also maintains a Whistleblower Policy, which provides a confidential and anonymous channel for employees, contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders to raise concerns, including potential breaches of our Supplier Code of Conduct.
Due Diligence Processes
Vega has conducted a materiality assessment to identify potential environmental and social risks within our own operations and across our value chain. This assessment considered risks related to forced labour and child labour in the context of our sourcing practices, supply chain visibility, and our ability to influence change with suppliers and broader industry participants. The assessment is generally revisited every two to three years to ensure that our risk view remains current.
Co-manufacturers used by Vega are subject to a qualification process focused on food safety and quality. Once approved, they are audited using risk-based criteria, including production volume, product type, and inherent product risk. Co-manufacturers are also required to undergo an annual third-party audit recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
Ingredients sourced directly by Vega are qualified through a documentation review process, and direct ingredient suppliers must maintain a third-party food safety audit.
Vega targets requalification every three years, or more frequently where internal risk assessment warrants. Ingredients sourced by our co-manufacturers are qualified through the co-manufacturers' own supplier approval programs, which are reviewed by Vega and assessed through third-party GFSI-recognized audits.
Employee Training
Vega provides training on forced labour, modern slavery risks, and related legislation through third-party content delivered via our e-learning platform, Traliant. This training has been directed toward employees in procurement, regulatory, and quality functions. During 2026, Vega intends to provide refresher training to employees involved in contracting and purchasing decisions.
Risks of Forced Labour or Child Labour in Our Supply Chains
Vega considers the risk of forced labour and child labour within its direct employee and contractor population to be low. Individuals involved in Vega's day-to-day operations are employed by, or engaged through a formal consulting relationship with, Vega and are subject to our hiring and onboarding processes.
Risk increases further upstream, where Vega has less direct visibility and control. This includes co-manufacturing and distribution partners, as well as raw materials sourced on Vega's behalf by co-manufacturers. Certain raw materials may originate from countries or regions associated with a higher incidence of forced labour or child labour.
China-sourced raw materials.
Vega procures a meaningful volume of key raw materials from China, a geography associated with heightened vulnerability to forced labour risks. Forced labour has not historically been identified as prevalent within the specific agricultural and food-processing sectors from which Vega sources these ingredients, but Vega continues to apply due diligence in this area.
West African cocoa.
Cocoa powder used in Vega products is sourced through Barry Callebaut, which maintains human rights and modern slavery policies and operates supplier and site-level programs intended to address these risks. Barry Callebaut's own factory sites participate in SEDEX, and regular SMETA audits are conducted covering labour standards, health and safety, environmental practices, and business ethics.
The highest child labour risk in Vega's supply chain is associated with cocoa sourced from Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, where child labour remains a documented issue in cocoa farming communities. Barry Callebaut conducts Human Rights Impact Assessments across its major cocoa sourcing geographies and uses the results to prioritize interventions and supplier engagement. Its Forever Chocolate commitment also sets out its position against forced labour, slavery, child labour, and other exploitative practices.
Remediation Measures
Vega has not identified any confirmed instances of forced labour or child labour within its activities or supply chains during the reporting period. Accordingly, Vega has not been required to take remedial action in response to any such confirmed incident.
Remediation of Loss of Income
Because Vega has not identified any confirmed instances of forced labour or child labour in its activities or supply chains, Vega has not taken measures during the reporting period to remediate any loss of income to vulnerable families resulting from such remediation efforts.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Our Efforts
During the reporting period, Vega's actions to assess effectiveness focused on the delivery of employee training on forced labour and child labour, and on the integration of forced labour and child labour considerations into our existing supplier qualification and audit processes. No confirmed instances of forced labour or child labour were identified through these processes during the reporting period, and no concerns were raised through Vega's whistleblower channel relating to forced labour or child labour. Vega will continue to develop how it measures the effectiveness of its program in future reporting periods.
Attestation
In accordance with the requirements of the Act, and in particular section 11 thereof, I attest that I have reviewed the information contained in this report for the entity listed above. Based on my knowledge, and having exercised reasonable diligence, I attest that the information in this report is true, accurate, and complete in all material respects for the purposes of the Act, for the reporting year listed above. I have the authority to bind the Company, Sequel Naturals ULC, operating as Vega.
Sincerely,
KATHERINE M. THOMAS
President, Sequel Naturals ULC
